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Topic: Since I had LotR out (Read 26028 times)

September 22 is the shared birthday of Bilbo and Frodo Baggins and marks several occasions in the LotR. Many Tolkien Societies, Mythopoeic groups and other fans have parties/picnics/get togethers on or around this date.

By a curious coincidence, it is also the birthday of Sauron, sort of. Sala Baker, the New Zealand gentleman who was a member of the second unit work crew until he became the wearer of Sauron's Armor also has September 22 as his birthday.

Truth is stranger then Fiction.

Ebor (The Road goes ever, ever on...)

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"I wish they would remember that the charge to Peter was "Feed my sheep", not "Try experiments on my rats", or even "Teach my performing dogs new tricks". - C. S. Lewis

The last word I saw was December before Christmas. There is a possibility that they may show the Extended Return of the King in theaters, but no definite information on that, that I've seen. I'll be sure to post here anything I find out.

I'm glad that you enjoy my Tolkien posts.

Here's a quote from Sala Baker about the armor:

(on Sauron's armour) "They made two outfits: one full metal one and one polyurethane one. It took about an hour and a half to two hours to put on, and weighed 40 odd kilo's."

That's around 80 pounds of armor. Mr. Baker is a big strong guy.

For anyone in the lower Pennsylvania/Maryland/Delaware/Northern Virginia area, btw The Baltimore Symphony Orchestra with (I think) The Choral Arts and trebles and altos from the Maryland State Boy Choir are supposed to be performing Howard Shore's "Lord of the Rings" Symphony in Baltimore on December 7 and 8, 2004. Mr. Shore may or may not be conducting, it depends on his work schedule. If it's like other performances I've read of, along with the music, images from John Howe's and Alan Lee's art work will be shown. They were the art designers for the movies.

Ebor

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"I wish they would remember that the charge to Peter was "Feed my sheep", not "Try experiments on my rats", or even "Teach my performing dogs new tricks". - C. S. Lewis

The hilt is decorated with elvish writing. The grip is wrapped in genuine leather. It is sturdy and feels good in your hand.

An exclusive plaque comes with this beautiful Lord of the Rings sword. The overall length is 47 5/8 inches with a 35 5/8 inch blade. This massive sword weighs over 9 pounds. It is indeed worthy of the name Foe Hammer.

This is an exact replica modeled from the actual movie prop. Cast in 420 J2 stainless steel with a solid metal hilt. The blade will not rust and does not need to be oiled. The Glamdring is built to last.

You must be 18 years of age or older to purchase this Lord of the Rings sword.

The Extended Return of the King is to be released on December 14th. Pre-orders start on October 1st.

Some of the features will be: Discs 1-2 : 250 minutes long with 50 minutes of additional material; 4 audio commentary tracks like with the first 2 EE's; "Cast commentary also features dialogue between split-personality characters Gollum and Smeagol (Andy Serkis!"

DISCS 1-2: The FeatureFEATURE (approx. 250 minutes) - A new version of the final installment in the epic trilogy! The Academy-Award-Ãƒâ€šÃ‚Â« winning film now has 50 minutes of never-before-seen footage incorporated into the film for this highly-anticipated video release:Widescreen (2.35:1) version of the Special Extended EditionDolby Digital EX 5.1 Surround SoundDTS ES 6.1 Surround SoundStereo Surround SoundEnglish subtitles and closed captionsSpanish subtitles

Four audio commentaries by the director and writers, the design team, the production team and the cast featuring more than 30 participants including Peter Jackson, Elijah Wood, Sean Astin, Orlando Bloom and Academy Award-Ãƒâ€šÃ‚Â« winners Richard Taylor, Howard ShoreGÃƒÆ’Ã¢â‚¬Â¡Ãƒâ€šÃ‚Âªand many more.

Cast commentary also features dialogue between split-personality characters Gollum and Smeagol (Andy Serkis)!

DISCS 3-4: The AppendicesTwo discs with hours of original content including multiple documentaries and design/photo galleries with thousands of images to give viewers an in-depth behind-the-scenes look at The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King::

THE APPENDICES PART V: "The War of the Ring" Disc intro by director Peter Jackson "J.R.R. Tolkien: The Legacy of Middle-earth" documentary

From Book to Script:"From Book to Script: Forging the Final Chapter" documentaryAbandoned Concept: Aragorn Battles SauronDesigning and Building Middle-earth"Designing Middle-earth" documentary"Big-atures" documentary"Weta Workshop" documentary"Costume Design" documentary

THE APPENDICES PART VI: "The Passing of an Age" Disc intro by Elijah Wood, Sean Astin, Billy Boyd and Dominic MonaghanFilming The Return of the King"Cameras in Middle-earth" documentaryProduction Photos (gallery) - 69 images

Cameron Duncan: The Inspiration for "Into the West""Cameron Duncan: The Inspiration for 'Into the West'" documentary"DFK6498" short film"Strike Zone" short film

Cameron Duncan was a teenager who wanted to make movies but was struck with cancer. IIRC the last 2 items are his movies. He was supposed to have a cameo in RotK but had a relapse and went to Texas I think for treatment. He passed away last November as RoTK was finished. Rest in Peace

Ebor

« Last Edit: September 25, 2004, 03:06:11 PM by Ebor »

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"I wish they would remember that the charge to Peter was "Feed my sheep", not "Try experiments on my rats", or even "Teach my performing dogs new tricks". - C. S. Lewis

It occurred to me that you might like to hear what I think is the first "cover" of Into the West. A young woman, Yulia Townsend, who moved from Russia to New Zealand a couple of years ago according to the notes. Her first album was released about 2 weeks ago in New Zealand. She has a lovely voice and it's interesting to hear the influences of both russian accent and what sounds like New Zealand English pronunciation.

Thanx for the fun links, Ebor! I've seen the abrig'd Silmarillion before, and was cracking up...later tonight when I have time I will listen to the Into the West cover and reread the abrig'd Silmarillion because I know I will get a kick out of it again

Ebor, thanks for the link to Yulia's website. I enjoyed not only "Into the West" but also clips from other songs, especially "The Prayer", "Angel", and "One Day I'll Fly Away." She seems to be a female equivalent of Josh Groban or Andrea Bocelli.

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"When looking at faults, use a mirror, not a telescope."-Yazid Ibrahim

I'm glad you liked it, David and I hope that Donna will, too. Yulia has a very nice voice with excellent control for so young a lady (I think the bio said she's 18.) She has trained it well. The other clips also are nice. I wonder if the one about half way down is Maori. Anyway, I hope the album comes to the US.

Ebor

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"I wish they would remember that the charge to Peter was "Feed my sheep", not "Try experiments on my rats", or even "Teach my performing dogs new tricks". - C. S. Lewis

OH MY Yulia is wonderful!! and I LOVE that she goes down on the last note instead of up, it's beautiful! I love Annie Lennox, very passionate and will forever be the voice of ROTK, but Yulia is singing with what sounds like a trained voice (even though she only just recently started training), which is exciting for ME because her vibrato is warrrrm and so pleasurable to listen to and will be especially fun to sing along to... ok geeky singer's rant done. Thank you so much for the link to Yulia's page, Ebor! I may have to purchase this album...I'm going to go listen to the other clips now

I just read the first few paragraphs and it looks great! I will read the rest later when I have a bit more time...thank you for the article, Ebor

Oh and while we're in geek mode, I figured I should share what I am "being" for Halloween (not that I seriously celebrate the holiday as such, but just for fun around my dorm-apartment)...my friends and I were in this really great Halloween store nearby, just looking, and there were 2 great sections of LOTR and Harry Potter costumes and accessories...so, I bought a (cheap, plastic) brooch of Lothlorien, and a necktie in Gryffindor colors, and I plan to just casually wear both with my normal clothes and be....a fantasy geek. Clever, eh? hehehe

Brought to you by the fine folks who have been running theonering.net for the past several years.

Second, if all goes well, I will get to see the Lord of the Rings exhibit at the Boston Museum of Science this weekend. This is the traveling show that originated at the Te Papa museum in New Zealand and will be leaving in a week or so. It has many artifacts from the movies and demonstrations of the technologies used.

I'll be going on Sunday afternoon. Sean Astin will be there tomorrow, but that is likely to be a bear-garden with fans and I *do* want to see the exhibits without a jam.

Aragorn using the Palantir to challenge SauronThe confrontation with Saruman at OrthancEowyn and Faramir in the Houses of HealingThe Mouth of SauronGandalf confronting the Witch-King of Angmar on the walls of Minas Tirith.

and (as they say) much much more!!

Also 20+ hours of new background material.

Forth Eorlingas!!

Ebor

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"I wish they would remember that the charge to Peter was "Feed my sheep", not "Try experiments on my rats", or even "Teach my performing dogs new tricks". - C. S. Lewis

I'm glad you liked it, Donna. I shall continue posting any news that I come across.

This past weekend I was up in Boston, staying with friends who like in Lincoln. They kindly arranged for me to go the the LotR exhibit at the Museum of Science on Sunday afternoon. (It's leaving this up-coming weekend.)

It is made up of artifacts, costumes, armor, weapons and art from the Lord of the Rings movies as well as some intereactive displays of some of the technology used. For example the digital scanners that put all the details of the maquette sculptures into the computers so that the CGI could be so precise: visitors could have their faces scanned and then see their features put into the form of an statue like the Argonath. Another was the Motion Capture technique that then took the movements and applied them to digital drawings of various characters/creatures.

There are also video screens at different points showing clips of how things were done or talking about making the movies. One showed Lawrence Makoare getting his full body make-up as "Lurtz". It has 3 make-up artists and takes from 10:20 PM to 8:00 AM. Around about 3 or so while the facial appliance is being glued on bit by bit, Mr. Makaore is asleep and snoring.

There is also a demonstration of forcing perspective and how different sizes of things make the size of people look different.

Around the walls were pencil drawings and paintings by John Howe and Alan Lee as well as digital art from the movies. It was possible to get quite close to see details on the armor, costumes and weapons. For the clothing, the show cases didn't just show the front, but had narrow window behind so that the back could be viewed.

Some points:

King Theoden's armor: The scalemail has a pattern in the lower portion of decorated scales. These scales are engraved with 2 horse heads on each one. The rest of this set is equally wonderful.

Gil-Galad's Spear, Aiglos, which is seen for maybe 10 seconds or so. The blade is engraved and embellished. A very graceful piece.

The funeral boat of Boromir, complete with the sculpture of Sean Bean. Beautiful lines, and the figure is alarmingly lifelike.

Bilbo's "Red Book" with silver leaf stars and calligraphed pages. along with piles of the documents and books from the library in Minas Tirith.

Armor from 2nd age Eldar, Numenoreans, 3rd Age Gondorians, Rohirrim, Ithilien Ranger, Uruk-hai, Moria Orcs, Mordor Orcs, the Mithril mail shirt. Samples of the chain maile that you can touch. The plastic rings were then coated with metal for the right look.

Jewelry: the rings of Men, the Elven rings, The Ring (in a separate display area suspended in a clear lighted column in a darkened room, while a sound track of quotes about the ring is heard and projections of the inscription move about), Crowns of men and wraiths.

A Rohan saddle and much more.

The care and the details and the beautiful craftsmanship were a joy to behold.

I got to hold "Glamdring". It's a fine sword, the hilt big enough for a two handed grip, slightly waisted at the (enscribed) hilt.

Iirc, the next stop is Sydney, Australia, but I seem to recall reading that the exhibit might be coming back to the US at some point to (maybe) Texas. I'll have to hunt around.

Ebor

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"I wish they would remember that the charge to Peter was "Feed my sheep", not "Try experiments on my rats", or even "Teach my performing dogs new tricks". - C. S. Lewis

Click on the "Sneak Preview" picture on the left side of the bar of pictures. It's 6 minutes long and, yes I've already dl'd it and watched it though. There's a clip of a wonder speech from Merry about wanting to do what he can. In another we see some Corsairs and there's Peter Jackson ....I won't spoil it .

Other things are what looks like Aragorn using Athelas; Sam and Frodo in orc armor with orcs; Eowyn on the battlefield; and a very interesting looking scene with Faramir telling Denethor that he would never use the Ring.

Release date 2 weeks from today: December 14th.

"Keep breathing! That’s the key! Breathe! Ho!"

Ebor

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"I wish they would remember that the charge to Peter was "Feed my sheep", not "Try experiments on my rats", or even "Teach my performing dogs new tricks". - C. S. Lewis

Oh yes. I know that there was controversy over how Faramir was portrayed. But waiting and seeing the extended versions that show much more character is worthwhile. John Noble's "Denethor" is, I think, quite good, and I think that there will be more developement with him, too.

Ebor

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"I wish they would remember that the charge to Peter was "Feed my sheep", not "Try experiments on my rats", or even "Teach my performing dogs new tricks". - C. S. Lewis

I walked out of the Two Towers perturbed because of the Elves at Helm's Deep, although I found the portrayal of Faramir far more upsetting. He seemed like a thickie who was just like his brother Boromir who only "got it" after a while. It was Faramir's almost immediate foresight and ability to let Frodo go once he found out what the Ringbearer had that endeared him so much to me and, in a way, redeemed Boromir's own overzealousness.

I'm quite glad to hear him say outright, to Denethor nonetheless, "I would not use the Ring..."

And thank you for almost making me cry with joy and excitement as I watched this teaser.

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"Hearing a nun's confession is like being stoned to death with popcorn." --Abp. Fulton Sheen

I'm glad you liked it. I've watched it 3 times so far and noticed things each time. The head of the statue of a Gondorian king at the crossroads to Minas Morgul with the flowering vine is from the book :"Look Sam!" he cried, "The King has his crown again!"

Grima being struck by Saruman on the top of Orthanc.

Legolas reciting the prophecy of Malbeth the Seer:"...Who shall call themfrom the grey twilight, the forgotten people?The heir of him to whom the oath they swore.From the North shall he come, need shall drive him:he shall pass the Door to the Paths of the Dead."

Looks Good!

Ebor

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"I wish they would remember that the charge to Peter was "Feed my sheep", not "Try experiments on my rats", or even "Teach my performing dogs new tricks". - C. S. Lewis

WOO HOO!!! that sneak preview is SO exciting! i only had time to view it once right now, since i am bogged with homework, but the standout moment for me was actually Merry's speech about helping his friends...it is all so exciting tho. YAY! Christmas break is gunna be so great this year

OCLC Research has compiled a list of the top 1000 titles owned by member libraries—the intellectual works that have been judged to be worth owning by the "purchase vote" of libraries around the globe. Coming in at number 10 is The Lord of the Rings, with 37,461 library holdings. If you look at the nine titles before it, you'll see that LOTR is in pretty good company.

If all goes well, tonight we're going to the "Lord of the Rings" Symphony in Baltimore with visuals by John Howe and Alan Lee. I'll review it for you, and from what I hear it might be in Washington D.C. in January.

Also, there are reports that the Extended Edition is being sold in NYC early. But it's Tuesday for the rest of us.

Ebor

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"I wish they would remember that the charge to Peter was "Feed my sheep", not "Try experiments on my rats", or even "Teach my performing dogs new tricks". - C. S. Lewis

wow, Ebor, that is so awesome you're seeing the symphony performance of the score w/ the visuals/illustration projections! i would have loved to try to get tix in NJ, but my life is just too busy right now to plan such an event, sigh.

also, i am in NYC, and i haven't heard anything about the EE being on sale early...altho i've been too busy to keep up on it so i could be wrong. i am waitin til next week at the EARLIEST since i cant enjoy it until my school work is done anyway...sigh sigh sigh...

LOL and the top ten books that librarys hold are all AWESOME! almost all are favorites of mine in some capacity...LOTR is DEFINITELY in good company! personal favorites: Bible, Hamlet, Alice in Wonderland, and of course LOTR

Have fun at the symphony Ebor! It's a great event. I saw it once in Houston (Tx) and once in Seattle with Howard Shore. The singing is fantastic as well. I've heard that Howard Shore is going to make a CD of the concert, so those who can't make it, will get to hear it as well.

Now if the LOTR exhibit will make it to Houston soon!

Only less than a week before the SE! Woo Hoo! And the previews seem wonderful!

LOL and the top ten books that librarys hold are all AWESOME! almost all are favorites of mine in some capacity...LOTR is DEFINITELY in good company! personal favorites: Bible, Hamlet, Alice in Wonderland, and of course LOTR

At least the Bible only came in at number two. The Census is a MUCH better read!

Any road, we *did* make it to Baltimore last night. It's too late right now, but I'll try to do a longer review tomorrow. The Concert was excellent! There was a large screen hanging over the orchestra that showed John Howe and Alan Lee sketches, paintings and maps to fit the movements. One of the soloists was Susan Egan and she was prime. She sang both "Gollum's Song" and "Into the West" as well as the Lament for Mithrandir. Fun fact: Susan Egan might be familiar to animae or Disney movie fans. She did the voice for "Megara" in Hercules and "Lin" in Miyazaki's Spirited Away She has an excellent singing voice.

There were also a boy soprano and another lady who did the rest of the female solos (End of All Things; Forth Eorlingas etc)

The Baltimore Symphony Orchestra was in fine form. There was a raft of unusual instruments in the back row, though there was no sitar or hardanger fiddle. The Choruses were very crisp and clear; the lyrics were more understandable then on some of the Movie score passages.

I'll get the program to give more tomorrow.

Ebor

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"I wish they would remember that the charge to Peter was "Feed my sheep", not "Try experiments on my rats", or even "Teach my performing dogs new tricks". - C. S. Lewis

One of the soloists was Susan Egan and she was prime. She sang both "Gollum's Song" and "Into the West" as well as the Lament for Mithrandir. Fun fact: Susan Egan might be familiar to animae or Disney movie fans. She did the voice for "Megara" in Hercules and "Lin" in Miyazaki's Spirited Away She has an excellent singing voice.

I LOVE Susan Egan! She is the original Belle in Broadway's Beauty and the Beast...she is on the CD (I didn't see her live)...I would have loved to hear her sing those pieces from LOTR....sigh.